अथ क्षेत्राणि पुण्यानि समासात्कथयस्व नः सर्वाः स्त्रियश्च पुरुषा यान्याश्रित्य पदं लभेत्
Now, tell us in brief about the sacred places; all women and men, by resorting to them, may attain the supreme state.
सूत योगिवरश्रेष्ठ शिवक्षेत्रागमांस्तथा शृणुत श्रद्धया सर्वक्षेत्राणि च तदागमान्
Sūta, best of sages, listen with faith to the accounts of Shiva's sacred places and all other holy sites as well.
शृणुध्वमृषयः प्राज्ञाः शिवक्षेत्रं विमुक्तिदम् तदागमांस्ततो वक्ष्ये लोकरक्षार्थमेव हि
Hear, O wise sages, about Shiva's sacred place, which grants liberation; I will now describe its traditions for the protection of the world.
पञ्चाशत्कोटिविस्तीर्णा सशैलवनकानना शिवाज्ञया हि पृथिवी लोकं धृत्वा च तिष्ठति
Spanning fifty crores in extent, with mountains, forests, and groves, the earth stands supporting the world by Shiva's command.
तत्र तत्र शिवक्षेत्रं तत्र तत्र निवासिनाम् मोक्षार्थं कृपया देवः क्षेत्रं कल्पितवान्प्रभुः
Here and there are Shiva's sacred sites; for the liberation of those who dwell there, the Lord, out of compassion, has established these places.
परिग्रहादृषीणां च देवानां परिग्रहात् स्वयंभूतान्यथान्यानि लोकरक्षार्थमेव हि
Some are established by the acceptance of sages, others by the acceptance of gods, and some are self-manifested—all for the protection of the world.
तीर्थे क्षेत्रे सदाकार्यं स्नानदानजपादिकम् अन्यथा रोगदारिद्र्यमूकत्वाद्याप्नुयान्नरः
In a holy place or sacred field, one should always perform bathing, giving, recitation, and the like; otherwise, a person may incur disease, poverty, or even muteness.
अथास्मिन्भारते वर्षे प्राप्नोति मरणं नरः स्वयंभूस्थानवासेन पुनर्मानुष्यमाप्नुयात्
If a person dies in this land of Bhārata, by dwelling at a self-manifested site, he attains human birth again.
क्षेत्रे पापस्य करणं दृढं भवति भूसुराः पुण्यक्षेत्रे निवासे हि पापमण्वपि नाचरेत्
O twice-born, committing sin in a sacred field becomes firmly established; but by dwelling in a holy place, one should not commit even the smallest sin.
येन केनाप्युपायेन पुण्यक्षेत्रे वसेन्नरः सिंधोः शतनदीतीरे संति क्षेत्राण्यनेकशः
By any means, a person should reside in a holy field; on the banks of the Sindhu and the hundred-rivered, there are many sacred places.
सरस्वती नदी पुण्या प्रोक्ता षष्टिमुखा तथा तत्तत्तीरे वसेत्प्राज्ञः क्रमाद्ब्रह्मपदं लभेत्
The Sarasvatī river is declared holy, with sixty mouths; a wise person dwelling on its banks will gradually attain the state of Brahman.
हिमवद्गिरिजा गंगा पुण्या शतमुखा नदी तत्तीरे चैव काश्यादिपुण्यक्षेत्राण्यनेकशः
The Ganga, daughter of the Himalayas, is a holy river with a hundred mouths; on its banks too are many sacred places, beginning with Kāśī.
तत्र तीरं प्रशस्तं हि मृगबृहस्पतौ शोणभद्रो दशमुखः पुण्योभीष्टफलप्रदः
There, the bank is indeed excellent at the time of Mrigabrihaspati; the Shonabhadra, with ten mouths, is holy and grants the fruits of one's desires.
तत्र स्नानोपवासेन पदं वैनायकं लभेत् चतुर्वींशमुखा पुण्या नर्मदा च महानदी
There, by bathing and fasting, one attains the station of Ganesha; the Narmada, with twenty-four mouths, is holy and a great river.
तस्यां स्नानेन वासेन पदं वैष्णवमाप्नुयात् तमसा द्वादशमुखा रेवा दशमुखा नदी
By bathing and dwelling there, one attains the station of Vishnu; the Tamasa, with twelve mouths, and the Reva, the ten-mouthed river.
गोदावरी महापुण्या ब्रह्मगोवधनाशिनी एकविंशमुखा प्रोक्ता रुद्रलोकप्रदायिनी
The Godavari, greatly holy, destroys the sins of Brahmin-slaughter and cow-killing; it is said to have twenty-one mouths and grants the world of Rudra.
कृष्णवेणी पुण्यनदी सर्वपापक्षयावहा साष्टादशमुखाप्रोक्ता विष्णुलोकप्रदायिनी
The Krishnaveni, a holy river, brings about the destruction of all sins; it is said to have eighteen mouths and grants the world of Vishnu.
तुंगभद्रा दशमुखा ब्रह्मलोकप्रदायिनी सुवर्णमुखरी पुण्या प्रोक्ता नवमुखा तथा
The Tungabhadra, with ten mouths, grants the world of Brahma; the Suvarnamukhari, holy and said to have nine mouths, likewise.
तत्रैव सुप्रजायंते ब्रह्मलोकच्युतास्तथा सरस्वती च पंपा च कन्याश्वेतनदी शुभा
There, indeed, good offspring are born, as well as those fallen from Brahma's world; Sarasvati, Pampa, Kanya, and the auspicious Shvetanadi.
एतासां तीरवासेन इंद्रलोकमवाप्नुयात् सह्याद्रिजा महापुण्या कावेरीति महानदी
By dwelling on the banks of these, one attains the world of Indra; the Kaveri, a great and holy river from the Sahyadri mountain.
सप्तविंशमुखा प्रोक्ता सर्वाभीष्टं प्रदायिनी तत्तीराः स्वर्गदाश्चैव ब्रह्मविष्णुपदप्रदाः
It is said to have twenty-seven mouths and grants all desired things; those banks grant heaven, and the stations of Brahma and Vishnu.
शिवलोकप्रदा शैवास् तथा ऽभीष्टफलप्रदाः नैमिषे बदरे स्नायान्मेषगे च गुरौ रवौ
The Shaiva banks grant the world of Shiva and bestow the fruits of one's desires; one should bathe at Naimisha, Badari, Meshaga, Guru, and Ravi.
ब्रह्मलोकप्रदं विद्यात्ततः पूजादिकं तथा सिंधुनद्यां तथा स्नानं सिंहे कर्कटगे रवौ
Know that it grants the world of Brahma, and so also worship and the like; likewise, bathing in the Sindhu river when the sun is in Leo or Cancer.
केदारोदकपानं च स्नानं च ज्ञानदं विदुः गोदावर्यां सिंहमासे स्नायात्सिंहबृहस्पतौ
Drinking the water of Kedara and bathing there is known to grant knowledge; one should bathe in the Godavari during the month of Simha, when Jupiter is in Leo.
शिवलोकप्रदमिति शिवेनोक्तं तथा पुरा यमुनाशोणयोः स्नायाद्गुरौ कन्यागते रवौ
It is said by Shiva that this grants the world of Shiva; one should bathe in the Yamuna and Shona when Jupiter is in Virgo and the sun is there.
धर्मलोके दंतिलोके महाभोगप्रदं विदुः कावेर्यां च तथास्नायात्तुलागे तु रवौ गुरौ
It is known to grant the world of Dharma and Danti, and great enjoyments; likewise, one should bathe in the Kaveri when the sun and Jupiter are in Libra.
विष्णोर्वचनमहात्म्यात्सर्वाभीष्टप्रदं विदुः वृश्चिके मासि संप्राप्ते तथार्के गुरुवृश्चिके
By the greatness of Vishnu's words, it is known to grant all desired things; when the month of Scorpio arrives, and likewise when the sun and Jupiter are in Scorpio.
नर्मदायां नदीस्नानाद्विष्णुलोकम्वाप्नुयात् सुवर्णमुखरीस्नानं चापगे च गुरौ रवौ
By bathing in the Narmada river, one attains the world of Vishnu; and by bathing in the Suvarnamukhari and other rivers when Jupiter and the sun are present.
शिवलोकप्रदमिति ब्राह्मणो वचनं यथा मृगमासि तथा स्नायाज्जाह्नव्यां मृगगे गुरौ
It is said by the Brahmin that this grants the world of Shiva; likewise, one should bathe in the Jahnavi during the month of Mriga, when Jupiter is in Mriga.
शिवलोकप्रदमिति ब्रह्मणो वचनं यथा ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोः पदे भुक्त्वा तदंते ज्ञानमाप्नुयात्
It is said by Brahma that this grants the world of Shiva; after enjoying the stations of Brahma and Vishnu, one attains knowledge at the end.